Who is out for Maryland???
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Nearly two weeks ago, a Big Ten championship seemed out of reach for the Maryland men's basketball team. The Terps had lost two straight games, handing a one-point win to Purdue in the final minute at home and barely showing up three days later in a six-point defeat at Penn State.
The back-to-back losses seemed to erase the swagger from Maryland's 8-1 start in the Big Ten. While still tied with the Boilermakers for second place, the Terps found themselves two games behind a Wisconsin team that seemed to be distancing itself from the rest of the league.
A lot has changed in the past 12 days.
Going into Sunday's game at Kohl Center, No. 23 Maryland (22-4, 10-3 Big Ten) has seemingly regained its momentum with two straight wins, including a 74-64 victory at Northwestern on Wednesday.
After winning eight straight and 17 of 18, No. 11 Wisconsin (21-5, 10-3) has lost two straight, including a 64-58 defeat at Michigan on Thursday that senior guard Bronson Koenig sat out with an injured calf.
Both teams are trying to keep pace with No. 16 Purdue (22-5, 11-3), which has won five straight and eight of nine after Saturday's home win over Michigan State.
While all three teams are still hoping to improve their seeding in the eyes of the NCAA tournament selection committee, the top spot in next month's Big Ten tournament in Washington is also part of the motivation.
Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said he has seen improvement since his Terps lost to the Nittany Lions.
"Since the Penn State game, we've really been practicing well and it's continued," Turgeon said Saturday on a teleconference before the team left College Park. "It's the time of year when you want to start practicing well and you want to start playing well. We're looking forward to this opportunity."
Wisconsin senior forward Nigel Hayes said after practice Friday that he has seen a different sense of urgency from opposing teams in the back-to-back defeats to Northwestern at home last Sunday and to Michigan in Ann Arbor.
"We're playing teams right now that are playing for their lives," Hayes said. "They're not necessarily worried about [winning] the Big Ten as much as they are the [NCAA] tournament, which is funny. The last couple of losses we had, these teams played inspired so they can get into the tournament."
Hayes acknowledged that Sunday's game against the Terps will be different.
"With them, they're playing for a Big Ten championship. We're playing for the same thing," Hayes said. "They're ranked. Sometimes when you walk into a building and you're the [higher-]ranked team, or even at home, teams play a little more inspired, play a little bit better than they usually would. That's something that you've got to expect."
The Badgers, who were ranked as high as No. 7 before the Northwestern loss, are still the highest-ranked team the Terps have played this season and only the second top-25 team Maryland has faced. Purdue was ranked 23rd when the Terps, then No. 17, played the Boilermakers on Feb. 4 at Xfinity Center.
Not that the three Big Ten contenders can afford to look too far down the road.
"We've all gotten ahead of ourselves, whether you're a fan or a coach or a player," Purdue coach Matt Painter said Monday. "As a coach, you just can't allow your team to do that. Talking about the top 16 or talking about another team that you're not playing takes your focus away from what's important."
If anything, there should be less pressure on the Terps than on either the Badgers or Boilermakers. Both Wisconsin and Purdue were considered among the preseason favorites to win the league. But Maryland, as happened when Turgeon's team wound up second two years ago, was not.
ESPN analyst Jay Bilas isn't surprised that the Terps are where they are so late in the season.
"They've been so consistent late in games," Bilas said in a telephone interview Thursday. "Most teams have been up and down; when they've had a chance to lose games, they lose more often than Maryland has. Maryland has operated in close games as well as anybody, and that's been impressive.
"It's kind of a little bit like they were two years ago. Some people go, 'Well, geez, they're in a lot of close games.' I think that's a good thing. That's where they live, in pressure situations and they know how to handle themselves. That's a really good attribute."
Big Ten Network analyst Stephen Bardo said he had an inkling of what kind of team the Terps were going to be after talking with Turgeon at the league's media day in Washington in October.
"He gives it straight with no chaser and he thought they were going to be pretty good," Bardo said in a telephone interview Friday. "He knew within a month of practice that they were going to surprise some people. I think if you ask him right now, they're better than he even anticipated they were going to be."
Asked Saturday if he was surprised by where Maryland is at this stage of the season given its youth, Turgeon said, "I'm surprised and I'm not surprised. These guys just keep doing it. It's amazing. I think if you would have told me before the season we would be what we are, I would have said, 'No way.' But now we're in the middle of it, it's been surprising, but it's been fun. It's been a great group to coach, they keep answering the bell. I think we're getting better, I really do."
Notes: Turgeon said redshirt junior guard Dion Wiley did not make the trip because of ongoing back problems. According to Turgeon, Wiley was given "another injection" Friday to help relieve the injury. "We hope to start working him out on Monday if everything goes smooth this weekend," Turgeon said. ? Koenig, who missed the first game of his career Thursday, went through the team's light workout Friday, but still seemed to be favoring his leg because of an injured calf that has kept him out of practice for more than a week. He is listed as "day to day."
The back-to-back losses seemed to erase the swagger from Maryland's 8-1 start in the Big Ten. While still tied with the Boilermakers for second place, the Terps found themselves two games behind a Wisconsin team that seemed to be distancing itself from the rest of the league.
A lot has changed in the past 12 days.
Going into Sunday's game at Kohl Center, No. 23 Maryland (22-4, 10-3 Big Ten) has seemingly regained its momentum with two straight wins, including a 74-64 victory at Northwestern on Wednesday.
After winning eight straight and 17 of 18, No. 11 Wisconsin (21-5, 10-3) has lost two straight, including a 64-58 defeat at Michigan on Thursday that senior guard Bronson Koenig sat out with an injured calf.
Both teams are trying to keep pace with No. 16 Purdue (22-5, 11-3), which has won five straight and eight of nine after Saturday's home win over Michigan State.
While all three teams are still hoping to improve their seeding in the eyes of the NCAA tournament selection committee, the top spot in next month's Big Ten tournament in Washington is also part of the motivation.
Maryland coach Mark Turgeon said he has seen improvement since his Terps lost to the Nittany Lions.
"Since the Penn State game, we've really been practicing well and it's continued," Turgeon said Saturday on a teleconference before the team left College Park. "It's the time of year when you want to start practicing well and you want to start playing well. We're looking forward to this opportunity."
Wisconsin senior forward Nigel Hayes said after practice Friday that he has seen a different sense of urgency from opposing teams in the back-to-back defeats to Northwestern at home last Sunday and to Michigan in Ann Arbor.
"We're playing teams right now that are playing for their lives," Hayes said. "They're not necessarily worried about [winning] the Big Ten as much as they are the [NCAA] tournament, which is funny. The last couple of losses we had, these teams played inspired so they can get into the tournament."
Hayes acknowledged that Sunday's game against the Terps will be different.
"With them, they're playing for a Big Ten championship. We're playing for the same thing," Hayes said. "They're ranked. Sometimes when you walk into a building and you're the [higher-]ranked team, or even at home, teams play a little more inspired, play a little bit better than they usually would. That's something that you've got to expect."
The Badgers, who were ranked as high as No. 7 before the Northwestern loss, are still the highest-ranked team the Terps have played this season and only the second top-25 team Maryland has faced. Purdue was ranked 23rd when the Terps, then No. 17, played the Boilermakers on Feb. 4 at Xfinity Center.
Not that the three Big Ten contenders can afford to look too far down the road.
"We've all gotten ahead of ourselves, whether you're a fan or a coach or a player," Purdue coach Matt Painter said Monday. "As a coach, you just can't allow your team to do that. Talking about the top 16 or talking about another team that you're not playing takes your focus away from what's important."
If anything, there should be less pressure on the Terps than on either the Badgers or Boilermakers. Both Wisconsin and Purdue were considered among the preseason favorites to win the league. But Maryland, as happened when Turgeon's team wound up second two years ago, was not.
ESPN analyst Jay Bilas isn't surprised that the Terps are where they are so late in the season.
"They've been so consistent late in games," Bilas said in a telephone interview Thursday. "Most teams have been up and down; when they've had a chance to lose games, they lose more often than Maryland has. Maryland has operated in close games as well as anybody, and that's been impressive.
"It's kind of a little bit like they were two years ago. Some people go, 'Well, geez, they're in a lot of close games.' I think that's a good thing. That's where they live, in pressure situations and they know how to handle themselves. That's a really good attribute."
Big Ten Network analyst Stephen Bardo said he had an inkling of what kind of team the Terps were going to be after talking with Turgeon at the league's media day in Washington in October.
"He gives it straight with no chaser and he thought they were going to be pretty good," Bardo said in a telephone interview Friday. "He knew within a month of practice that they were going to surprise some people. I think if you ask him right now, they're better than he even anticipated they were going to be."
Asked Saturday if he was surprised by where Maryland is at this stage of the season given its youth, Turgeon said, "I'm surprised and I'm not surprised. These guys just keep doing it. It's amazing. I think if you would have told me before the season we would be what we are, I would have said, 'No way.' But now we're in the middle of it, it's been surprising, but it's been fun. It's been a great group to coach, they keep answering the bell. I think we're getting better, I really do."
Notes: Turgeon said redshirt junior guard Dion Wiley did not make the trip because of ongoing back problems. According to Turgeon, Wiley was given "another injection" Friday to help relieve the injury. "We hope to start working him out on Monday if everything goes smooth this weekend," Turgeon said. ? Koenig, who missed the first game of his career Thursday, went through the team's light workout Friday, but still seemed to be favoring his leg because of an injured calf that has kept him out of practice for more than a week. He is listed as "day to day."
Nobody was happier than Zak Showalter Friday afternoon when University of Wisconsin men?s basketball coach Greg Gard made the decision to hold a light practice that included only shooting and drill work.
It gave the No. 11 Badgers (21-5, 10-3 Big Ten) one less day to prepare for No. 23 Maryland (22-4, 10-3) ? the conference powers meet at noon today at the Kohl Center ? but it provided some much-needed recovery time after their 64-58 loss at Michigan on Thursday night.
Showalter, in particular, appreciated the gesture as he closes a stretch of defending a murderer?s row of Big Ten point guards.
Over the course of a week, Showalter will have guarded Northwestern junior Bryant McIntosh, Michigan senior Derrick Walton Jr. and Maryland junior Melo Trimble. He logged 69 minutes in two games over five days while chasing around McIntosh and Walton, but Trimble might be his most difficult assignment of the three.
?My body is feeling it right now,? Showalter said, ?but I?ll be alright.?
Showalter did a remarkable job on Walton, who was limited to five points on 1-for-8 shooting after averaging 23.0 points over his previous five games.
McIntosh scored a game-high 25 points in Northwestern?s 66-59 victory over UW a week ago, but it took him 23 shots to reach that total. He did most of his damage on tough runners and floaters and added a banked-in 3-pointer to boot.
?Out of his 10 (made field goals), I think six of them were on me that maybe I could have done a little bit different,? Showalter said. ?The kid played a hell of a game, and sometimes you can?t really do much.?
Devoting only one practice toward preparing for the Terrapins isn?t ideal, though it?s unlikely the Badgers would have been all that productive on Friday after getting back late from Ann Arbor. Plus, UW associate head coach Lamont Paris said Maryland?s offense is similar enough to recent opponents? systems that there should be some carryover that will help the cramming session.
Still, the Terrapins are a unique team to get ready for because of a small-but-dangerous backcourt that features Trimble and freshman Anthony Cowan. The two have combined for 288 free throw attempts, an average of 11.1 per game.
?They attack, they?re good at that,? Paris said. ?They?ll put constant pressure on your team, in the ball-screen situations especially.?
Showalter is quite familiar with Trimble. Their most recent meeting came last February at Maryland, where Trimble missed nine of his 10 shots from the field and finished with 10 points in UW?s 70-57 upset win over the then-No. 2 Terrapins.
About a month earlier, Trimble scored 13 of his game-high 21 points over the final 9 minutes to help Maryland escape the Kohl Center with a 63-60 victory. Trimble produced the game-winning shot with 1.2 seconds remaining, draining a 25-footer over the outreached hands of Showalter.
?He pretty much did exactly what I wanted him to do,? Showalter said this week. ?Tie game, I don?t want him to get to the rim and get a layup, and I don?t want to foul him and put him at the line. So I feel like he took the shot that I wanted, 25 feet from the basket with a hand up. He just made a tough one.?
Trimble entered this week in a shooting slump, going 21 of 57 overall (36.8 percent) and 3 of 22 from beyond the arc (13.6 percent) over a five-game span. But he guided the Terrapins to a 74-64 win at Northwestern on Wednesday, finishing with a game-high 32 points after going 12 of 17 overall and 4 of 5 from 3-point range.
Showalter said there are some similarities between McIntosh, Walton and Trimble, but the Maryland star?s quickness separates him from the other two.
?His first step is lightning,? Showalter said.
Trimble is also a master at drawing fouls by snapping his head back when he gets bumped.
?I?m prepared for that,? Showalter said, ?and just have to keep my hands off and make him make tough ones over the top.?
Showalter was exhausted after 35 minutes of trying to stay in front of Walton. He downed a recovery drink immediately after the game and pulled on a pair of compression tights for the charter flight home to aid the process of helping his muscles recuperate.
On Friday, Showalter went to class and then spent some time in the cold and hot tubs at the Kohl Center. Later, he retreated to the locker room and spent some time using a NormaTec recovery system, which looks like a pair of inflatable nylon pants and is connected to a compressor. It extends from the toes up to the hip and pulsates in sequences, helping to decrease swelling, soreness and lactic-acid buildup in the muscles.
Showalter will be happy when this week is over, yet he knows that he?ll be somewhere a year from now wishing he were guarding the best lead guards in the Big Ten all over again.
?I?ve been working to get to do this and have this opportunity,? he said. ?Now, I have to make the most of it.?
It gave the No. 11 Badgers (21-5, 10-3 Big Ten) one less day to prepare for No. 23 Maryland (22-4, 10-3) ? the conference powers meet at noon today at the Kohl Center ? but it provided some much-needed recovery time after their 64-58 loss at Michigan on Thursday night.
Showalter, in particular, appreciated the gesture as he closes a stretch of defending a murderer?s row of Big Ten point guards.
Over the course of a week, Showalter will have guarded Northwestern junior Bryant McIntosh, Michigan senior Derrick Walton Jr. and Maryland junior Melo Trimble. He logged 69 minutes in two games over five days while chasing around McIntosh and Walton, but Trimble might be his most difficult assignment of the three.
?My body is feeling it right now,? Showalter said, ?but I?ll be alright.?
Showalter did a remarkable job on Walton, who was limited to five points on 1-for-8 shooting after averaging 23.0 points over his previous five games.
McIntosh scored a game-high 25 points in Northwestern?s 66-59 victory over UW a week ago, but it took him 23 shots to reach that total. He did most of his damage on tough runners and floaters and added a banked-in 3-pointer to boot.
?Out of his 10 (made field goals), I think six of them were on me that maybe I could have done a little bit different,? Showalter said. ?The kid played a hell of a game, and sometimes you can?t really do much.?
Devoting only one practice toward preparing for the Terrapins isn?t ideal, though it?s unlikely the Badgers would have been all that productive on Friday after getting back late from Ann Arbor. Plus, UW associate head coach Lamont Paris said Maryland?s offense is similar enough to recent opponents? systems that there should be some carryover that will help the cramming session.
Still, the Terrapins are a unique team to get ready for because of a small-but-dangerous backcourt that features Trimble and freshman Anthony Cowan. The two have combined for 288 free throw attempts, an average of 11.1 per game.
?They attack, they?re good at that,? Paris said. ?They?ll put constant pressure on your team, in the ball-screen situations especially.?
Showalter is quite familiar with Trimble. Their most recent meeting came last February at Maryland, where Trimble missed nine of his 10 shots from the field and finished with 10 points in UW?s 70-57 upset win over the then-No. 2 Terrapins.
About a month earlier, Trimble scored 13 of his game-high 21 points over the final 9 minutes to help Maryland escape the Kohl Center with a 63-60 victory. Trimble produced the game-winning shot with 1.2 seconds remaining, draining a 25-footer over the outreached hands of Showalter.
?He pretty much did exactly what I wanted him to do,? Showalter said this week. ?Tie game, I don?t want him to get to the rim and get a layup, and I don?t want to foul him and put him at the line. So I feel like he took the shot that I wanted, 25 feet from the basket with a hand up. He just made a tough one.?
Trimble entered this week in a shooting slump, going 21 of 57 overall (36.8 percent) and 3 of 22 from beyond the arc (13.6 percent) over a five-game span. But he guided the Terrapins to a 74-64 win at Northwestern on Wednesday, finishing with a game-high 32 points after going 12 of 17 overall and 4 of 5 from 3-point range.
Showalter said there are some similarities between McIntosh, Walton and Trimble, but the Maryland star?s quickness separates him from the other two.
?His first step is lightning,? Showalter said.
Trimble is also a master at drawing fouls by snapping his head back when he gets bumped.
?I?m prepared for that,? Showalter said, ?and just have to keep my hands off and make him make tough ones over the top.?
Showalter was exhausted after 35 minutes of trying to stay in front of Walton. He downed a recovery drink immediately after the game and pulled on a pair of compression tights for the charter flight home to aid the process of helping his muscles recuperate.
On Friday, Showalter went to class and then spent some time in the cold and hot tubs at the Kohl Center. Later, he retreated to the locker room and spent some time using a NormaTec recovery system, which looks like a pair of inflatable nylon pants and is connected to a compressor. It extends from the toes up to the hip and pulsates in sequences, helping to decrease swelling, soreness and lactic-acid buildup in the muscles.
Showalter will be happy when this week is over, yet he knows that he?ll be somewhere a year from now wishing he were guarding the best lead guards in the Big Ten all over again.
?I?ve been working to get to do this and have this opportunity,? he said. ?Now, I have to make the most of it.?
And i think i am going to give it them! This sucker line looks too e z which is scary. Imo a terps win would not surprise me.
Key to this gm could be Bronson Koening. Will he play today ? injured in Nw gm, only scored 2pts, sat out next , = 2 L's for WIs. Maryland has been a dog cover machine .....Not many dogs have covered with the type of public support like they have this season... If Koenig can't go, I dont mean play but GO.. ITs 0 for last 3 for WIs .....
Wisconsin looks like absolute shit. I have never seen a team so highly ranked that looks like they have never played together. Horrible passes, shitty shots, driving the lane and losing control of the ball.
I would not be the least bit surprised to find out down the road that Nigel Hayes has been on the take all season. The shit he does is simply unreal, and quite frankly, very suspicious. Watch how many times he will dribble a ball off of his foot or knee. Watch how many times he will fumble a pass. See how often he throws a bad pass. It's a joke.
Bet what you want, but I am going against Bucky today.
I know my first reaction was "Maryland all the way,." It just seems too easy and I agree Wisky looks very out of sync.
Koenig not starting. Game availability still pending...
Line has already moved like he's out.
- Oct 15, 2015
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That under is awful tempting. Wisconsin is overrated even with Bronson Koenig. I kind of was MIA with CBBALL during the NFL playoffs and saw they were ranked 7th at one point. Had to be by default + a string of runs against poor teams.
